*This article represents the universal issue of kids starting to find out who they are and where they belong in life.*

As a young person it is sometimes hard to find your own path.  Sometimes your path is really someone else's path because you tend to be more of  a follower.

Think about the most dominant personality of your group of friends.  This is the person who is the loudest, or the most aggressive, or sometimes the meanest.  The rest of the group tends to follow this person because she commands the conversation or the activities of the group.

Your task as a young person is to understand when it is ok to follow the group and when you have to take a stand and go against the flow.  At times, this can come at a price - the loss of friends, teasing, or just being left out of certain activities. This is a normal part of growing up.

It can be hard to make your own way when there are so many pressures to conform to something different.  You want to be a part of "the group" but at what price?  Your gut feeling (and hopefully parental guidance) will tell you when the activity you are doing or the conversation you are having is worthy of a good Muslim or a good person in general.

You know what else will tell you?  Knowledge.  The more you know about Islam and what you are capable of doing (or not doing), the easier it will be to step away from things that will not benefit you.

Give yourself a chance to spread your wings and fly to the path that brings you success in this life and the next.  Negative reactions from "friends" may hurt for a while, but you can find other friends who are walking on the same path as you.

Do you believe me?  Have you tried it yet?  Why not start today?  Allah will catch you if you fall and I will make dua that you will endure your trials and have much success in the end.

May Allah be your guide every step of the way my beautiful, bright, talented, HONORABLE, sister.